The Time to Sleep
by fooboo24
Summary: As an orphan, Korra never expected that she would get the chance at a new family with her two best friends. But when her secret is revealed and their world is threatened, will Korra be able to protect those that mean the most to her? AU, Alternate Universe. Some sexual content in chapters. Mako/Korra, Makorra primarily, eventual Bolin/Asami, Bosami. Other pairings involved.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Avatar, or this general idea. It belongs to FinalxFantasyxFreak on deviantart, however, I did change a few things so as not to completely copy it! XD

~P~

_Chapter One_

~P~

Korra curled into her little body, desperately seeking warmth that would not come to her. She was tucked tightly against a brick wall in an alleyway, snow lightly littering the ground around her and sending a chill through her small form.

She would have bent a small fire in her hand to keep herself warm, but decided not to risk it – what if someone saw the little Water Tribe girl Firebending? Even though it was unlikely, someone could see her, someone who might be involved with the Equalists, and they couldn't know, no one could – that she was the Avatar. If someone found out, she would be in unavoidable danger.

She remembered what her parents used to tell her – "Don't let anyone know, Korra. Keep your secret to only yourself." It was by those words that she abided, never letting on that she could bend three of the four elements she needed to be able to. They had told her she had to pretend to only be a Waterbender, and so pretend she did.

The little girl felt tears prick at her eyes at the thought of her parents, but she forced back a sob by squeezing them shut. It had been six months now that she had been living on the streets – the cold, unforgiving streets. She hated it, but she couldn't risk getting revealed as the Avatar and what better than to escape it than to live the life of a homeless orphan child? No one would suspect a ratty Water Tribe girl begging on the side of the road as the almighty Avatar – it was perfect, but it was still so difficult, especially when she was on her own.

Her parents – Senna and Tonraq – a nice, simple couple just trying to get by in Republic City, were gone to her now. Her mother had left behind the world when Korra was only four years old, taken by a sickness that her family could not afford, despite all their best efforts, to help her heal from. Tonraq had been killed six months earlier – no, _murdered_, the little girl thought bitterly, biting her chapped lips – by some members of a gang Korra didn't care to remember. The newspapers had documented his death as an accident, saying he simply walked into a turf war at the wrong time and was delivered a devastating fate, but she knew that it was a lie. Korra had known how her father had borrowed money from the gang, but how he could just never seem to pay it back, no matter what he did. And for that, he had paid with his life, leaving the little Avatar, newly six years old, an orphan.

Korra could almost feel the comforting embrace of her mother around her and hear her father's deep, reassuring tone in her ears, but—

"_No_," Korra forced out, shaking her head in her hands and trying to forget the thoughts invading her mind. All they would do was make her cry and wish for what couldn't be, and that would make her weak and vulnerable – something she couldn't ever afford to be. But despite herself, she felt the tears sting through her tightly-shut eyes, and regretfully, one fell, and before she knew it, they wouldn't stop. She was silent, but she cried.

All she wanted was someone by her side – they didn't have to be family, they didn't even have to be friends – but the reassurance of having another human being in her life was what she needed. Korra needed someone who was just there for her, looking out for her, and she would be okay. She didn't want to spend the rest of her years cold and alone.

But so far, that was how it was turning out to be.

When it seemed as though the last tear had fallen, Korra sniffled and pulled her knees against her chest, hugging them to her. Her eyes were itchy, so she held them shut. She could almost feel the beloved escape of sleep closing in on her a few moments later, but was jolted awake by an unpleasant, gruff voice yelling down the alleyway, but not at her.

"You thief! Get back here!"

Korra watched as a boy, tall and slim, ran through the alley, holding a large loaf of bread in his thin arms. He did not even falter as the man, a baker, yelled at him, threatening to call the cops despite the fact that it was only some bread. The stocky, short man was fuming; face bright red and green eyes wide in his fury at being stolen from.

Korra blinked at him as he flew past her. The smell of the freshly-baked bread hit her as he passed by swiftly, and when her stomach gurgled uproariously, she became aware of how truly, and achingly hungry she was. The bread the boy held was tantalizing to the little girl, and that's when she got the idea—

Maybe, if she stopped the boy and returned the bread to the baker, he would be kind enough to take pity on her and offer her some food. Her chances seemed slight, but she had to take them – and so jumping up, she shook the snow off of her flimsy clothing and took off after him. He turned the corner of the alleyway and into the main streets moments before she did, but as she ran, she managed to keep track of him by his bright red scarf sailing in the wind behind him. When he turned once more into a different alley, Korra continued to follow him.

"Stop!" she yelled at him, as though this command would work on him. The boy turned, blinked, and then continued to ignore her. She kept chasing him, but he was too fast for her, and she easily started to lose track of him as he manoeuvred through multiple alleys. Frustrated, Korra threw her hand out and froze the ground beneath the boy, causing him to slip and fall and collide with a dumpster. "I said _stop_!"

She walked up to him, and slowly, but surely, he pulled himself up and stuck the bread further into his jacket. The mere sight of the food to Korra was enough to make her drool, but she forced herself to focus on the task at hand. He looked ready to bolt again when she shouted, "Give back that bread!"

The boy narrowed his eyes and when Korra Waterbent some snow into her hand, liquefying it, it became evident to both of them that a fight was going to take place. Korra almost smirked to herself, thinking about how easy it would be for her to win, when, all of a sudden, he tossed a fireball at her, inches from her ponytail.

Korra blinked, momentarily stunned by the revelation that the boy was a Firebender, but did not relent, holding her hand up and blocking his next swift delivery of fire with a jet of water. She stepped closer to him each time he hurled an attack, and when it looked like he was going to run, she jumped forward and landed on him, throwing him backwards so that they hit the icy road with a thump.

He struggled beneath her, but she managed to rip his jacket open and retrieve the bread within. Instantly, she hopped off of him and began to take off down the alley. She didn't look back initially, too afraid her guilt would take over and she would feel the need to go back, but her curiosity overcame her and eventually, she hid behind a dumpster and peered at where she had been at seconds beforehand. Instead of the boy running back at her to get the bread back, instead of attacking her or glaring at her, he was sitting beside an even smaller boy, with the same hair he had, a scowl set on his sharp features.

She heard the little boy coo out, "Mako! Are you okay?" The Firebender, Mako apparently, said nothing, instead standing up slowly and nodding. The younger boy, whom Korra presumed was his brother, then asked, "Did you... get anything?" At this, Mako cast his head to the ground, shaking his head ashamedly. The little boy frowned, his bright green eyes growing dull, and he latched onto his brother's arm. Korra observed them – they were both painfully thin and covered in a layer of filth, something that the Avatar had come to associate with street children, with herself. However, both of these boys were even skinnier than most, especially Mako, and Korra felt a heavy pang of guilt in her chest as she watched the lost look in his amber eyes.

Korra tried to force down the empathy rising in her throat, tried to remember that it was Polar Bear Dog eat Polar Bear Dog world and that she should go back to thinking of just herself, but when she heard the little boy cry out in his hunger, she could take it no longer and popped out of her hiding place, walking slowly towards the pair.

At the sound of footsteps, Mako immediately went into a protective stance in front of his brother, peering up and glowering at Korra. With much difficulty, she held her gaze at him, unblinking as she made her way. When she was only a few feet away, she looked between the two and pulled out the bread from where it was tucked in her arm, the smell almost driving her crazy.

Mako blinked at her, eyes narrowed and confused – why was she giving it back? Why did she care? He was about to grab his brother's hand and run, because to him, this was all a dirty trick and he couldn't get involved in that, when his brother instead jumped out from behind him and walked right over to Korra, his hand outstretched friendlily to the girl.

"Bolin!" he cried out, reaching out for his brother who evaded him.

Korra blinked at the little boy in front of her, who had a bright smile on his face despite his tattered appearance. "Hiya!" he waved at her, more focussed on her than the food she held in her hands now. "My name's Bolin! What's yours?"

Korra stared at the boy, before answering, "Korra." His grin grew, and ripping off a piece of the bread, she handed it to him. She watched out of the corner of her eye Mako tense apprehensively at the movement, as though her kind gesture could somehow bring harm to his little brother. He was mistrustful, she realized, and he had every right to be – the streets of Republic City were unforgiving, and from his appearance, he had experienced some of the worst of it. "Here," she pushed her hand closer to Bolin, for he did not accept the first time. She saw him blink uncertainly between the piece of bread, herself, and his brother. However, his indecisiveness didn't last long, for he reached his small hands forward and captured the food, instantly stuffing it in his mouth.

"Thanks!" he mumbled between chews, and Korra ripped off another piece and gave it to the famished child. He gratefully accepted it this time, holding it close to his mouth as he finished his first piece. She smiled at Bolin, before turning to Mako, who was staring at her blankly. His eyes held no hostility or anger, just genuine confusion and curiosity.

"I'm... sorry for taking this from you," she managed out, toeing at the snow on the ground. She was a prideful child despite all that had happened to her, and so apologizing for anything was a difficult task for her. She shoved the bread into his arms, and slowly they rose to hold morsel. He looked in between her and the bread, before nodding solemnly. He slid it back into his jacket for safe-keeping, and Korra stood there awkwardly, still refusing eye contact with either of them, especially the older of the two.

When a few more moments passed, she shook her head, not knowing why she was standing around, and she turned suddenly. She was stopped, however, by a hand latching onto hers, and she turned to see Bolin looking up at her with his expressive green eyes and holding out his other piece of bread to her. "Stay with us, Korra," he requested simply.

Korra blinked at him, incredulous, before looking back to Mako who looked equally as surprised by his brother's words. She watched as the protestations formed on his lips, but when Bolin turned back to him and smiled brightly, all of his resolve crumbled and he groaned, glaring at the ground and crossing his arms. He didn't want to have this stranger in his life, threatening the delicate balance he strived to maintain for his brother's sake. Who knew if she was trustworthy or if she would just be a complete burden to them? Mako couldn't afford to have that kind of person in his life, but at the same time, he was never one to deny his brother something that brought him even the slightest bit of happiness in their dark lives – and at that moment, that something, that someone, was Korra.

"Please?" Bolin squeezed Korra's palm, tugging her back towards Mako. The look in the little boy's eyes was so bright, so hopeful that Korra couldn't exactly break him by saying no.

"I... I guess, but not for long, okay?" she compromised – she couldn't stick along forever, anyway. Her staying would just slow both parties down. But she would stay for a short bit, if only to make Bolin's happiness extend. Bolin cheered, and pressed the bread into her chest again, urging her to take it. Korra swallowed before reaching forward and taking the food, nibbling on it despite the fact that she could have wolfed it down. As she ate, she allowed him to pull her back over to Mako, who was shaking his head with a disapproving look spreading across his features. Bolin flashed his grin to his brother then, though, and the Firebender's face softened. How could he not be glad himself when his baby brother was so joyful?

They began to walk after that, with Bolin between the two, his hands holding onto one of Korra's and one of Mako's. He blathered as they walked along, with Mako distributing the bread evenly between the three, despite his reluctance to share with the little Water Tribe girl. The day dragged on, but as it continued, much to Bolin's elatedness and Mako's annoyance, Korra did not leave. As night approached, she spent it with them, promising herself that the next day she would leave. However, they stayed together the day after that, too, and before any of them knew it, she became a constant in their life that never left.

Stay with them, she certainly did, and in the process, she gained the family and friends she had wanted for so long.

~P~

Korra smiled at the memory – eleven years later and she still remembered that day perfectly. She yawned from her spot on the small sofa, placing down her healing book on the table in front of her, rustling the papers of notes sitting on it in the process. She was done with studying for the night – she had been doing so for nearly five hours and she was exhausted and bored, restless to do anything but review healing exercises. Besides, she had to work in the morning, so she decided that it would be best if she retired for the night.

Crossing her arms, she closed her eyes and leaned into the sofa more, too comfortable to want to get up and get ready for sleeping. She let her sleepiness take over her, but just as she was drifting off, she heard the door of the three's apartment unlock and a few seconds later, an equally-exhausted Firebender stumbled in. He slammed the door behind him clumsily, and it jolted her awake, aware of his presence. Thankfully, Bolin's rumbling snore was still steady behind the door of his and Mako's room, signifying he was still fast asleep.

"Oh, hey," she mumbled tiredly, waving lazily at him. His eyes were clouded over in his weariness, and he nodded at her in acknowledgement. He kicked his shoes off then and wandered over to the couch, slumping into the seat beside her and immediately letting his eyes close. He groaned as he relaxed, and she sat up, concern in her eyes as she peered at him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he waved her off, his arms feeling impossibly heavy as he lifted them to do the action. "It was just a long day at the factory. I pulled a muscle or something – the usual."

Korra blinked at him, her eyebrows drawing together. Ever since Mako had gotten his job at the factory, he had been waking up at jarringly early times and arriving home late, late into the night. His hours were gruellingly long and the work he did taxing, usually leaving him with deep-rooted muscle pains and putting him into a state of constant exhaustion and easy irritation. It was difficult for Korra to watch someone she cared about so much waste away his young life by working so hard, not allowing himself even the smallest amount of time to just enjoy things anymore, but he wouldn't have it, and usually he brushed her complaints about his job off. It's not like her occasional night job was any better or easier, she reminded herself, biting her lip. Her "job" was not gruelling, but degrading and dirty instead, and Korra hated it. But she would do anything for the two brothers, and while Mako also abhorred her night job with a passion, she continued with it, because it brought in valuable money for the three of them to survive off of.

"Let me help," she whispered lowly, bending some water from the tap a few metres away. "Where does it hurt?" She leaned closer to him and positioned her hands above his frame, waiting for his answer.

"Korra, you don't have to—" He opened his eyes to look at her, but his protests were cut off by her glare at him. "Fine." He sat up straighter, grumbling despite himself. He didn't like to complain, but he couldn't prevent the pain of the tensely coiled strain in his arms and back as he moved, and so he made a noise of great discomfort. "I... my arms. Mostly."

Korra nodded at him, and shifting a bit, careful to keep her movement to a minimum for the man in front of her, placed her hands on his exposed right forearm, pressing her fingers into the tight flesh there as the water her hands controlled glowed and moved around gently. Mako sighed at her ministrations, the stress seemingly evaporating from his muscles as she massaged it out, grateful for her offering. She switched to the next arm then, and Mako relaxed further into the sofa, feeling sleep grip him. He trusted her unconditionally, and so he allowed himself to nod off with ease.

Once Korra had finished with both of her arms, she pulled back. "Okay, I can do your back, too, if you wa—" She blinked at his dozing form, snoring lightly, his head rested against the back of the couch. Her face softened when she saw the peaceful expression on his face, a rare occurrence, and smiling and leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to his cheek and sat beside him again.

Positioning herself against his side, she leaned against him and let her eyelids flutter shut and sleep overtake her, as well. "Goodnight, Mako," she mumbled as she turned into his shoulder, snuggling further against him. "And... thank you. For everything." He stirred a bit at the contact, before settling back into a steadfast slumber.

When Korra was asleep, memories of her life with the brothers flashed through her brain, from tuffs she had been in with Mako and pranks she had pulled with Bolin, to the rarer, tenderer occurrences like when she was told what happened to their parents and more surprising ones like when they discovered she was the Avatar. Their lives together had been an emotional rollercoaster of hardships, but the Avatar found she wouldn't go back on any of it if given the chance – they were the family she had wished for her since she had become abandoned, working their way into each other's hearts and rooting there, and she intended to keep it that way.

~P~

**Author's Notes: **A multi-chaptered Korra story from me, say whaaaaaaaaat? I know, I usually do one-shots, but... I thought I'd give this a go. I'm not even going to promise if I'm going to finish this, because we all know that I have a short attention span for longer fics. All I can say is, I'll try. I really will.

Okay, so some back story on this AU world – here, Republic City is much, much more dangerous than before, with Equalists running rampant and gangs everywhere. Korra is the Avatar here, too, but no one but the brothers and her know; this is because if anyone was to find out, she would most likely be reported to the Equalists somehow and get chased after. So, she keeps it a secret.

Well, that's all I got for now, folks! See ya next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Avatar or the gist of this idea – just the changes I've made to it!

~P~

_Chapter Two_

~P~

Korra nuzzled closer into a soft object, but was woken a few moments later by a loud, raucous snore to her left. Jumping up, she blinked as she tried to take in her somewhat familiar surroundings. When she came to completely, the fogginess of her brain gone, she saw that she was in Mako and Bolin's room and when she looked down, she saw that she had been sleeping rather soundly in the Firebender's bed. She blushed as she crawled out of it, peering closely at the small clock at his bedside – six in the morning. Walking out of the room as silently as she could, she arrived in their meagre living room and much to her dismay, no Mako was anywhere in sight.

"Of course," she talked to herself, rolling her eyes. "In and gone before any of can even see him for the day." She felt a little guilty that she had prevented him from sleeping in his own bed the night beforehand in favour of relieving his muscle pain, but she decided that it needed to be done and put it out of her mind.

Making herself breakfast, knowing that Bolin wouldn't be up for a few hours considering it was Saturday, she read the newspaper periodically as she prepared for work. _Equalists Becoming Emboldened _the print at the top read, and she bit her lip. As she read through the article, about how the Equalists were attacking innocent benders, she thought about her duty as the Avatar. At times like this, she wished she could go out and reveal her status and actually help the people of her city. But revealing herself would just get herself and the brothers killed, for she was not powerful enough to face off with anyone yet – and the boys meant the world to her, so she was not willing to risk it.

She remembered cringingly and fondly the day that the brothers found out she was the Avatar – she was ten, and they had all been together for three years. She had gotten angry at Mako for something stupid, like most of their fights began, and had breathed fire at him, nearly singing off his silly eyebrows. It was only until afterwards that she realized her mistake, how blatant she had been, but she could not go back – she had Firebent and they had seen it. Mako came to the conclusion before his brother did, thoroughly shocked and hurt by what she had been keeping from them.

The Firebender had been scared – she was even more trouble than he originally thought. She was already loudmouthed and rambunctious, but the fact that she was the Avatar – someone so potentially powerful, someone so potentially dangerous – was almost too much for him to handle. But Bolin was so attached to her, and admittedly, he was, too, and by the vulnerable look in her eyes, he couldn't just disown her now that they knew. In fact, if anything, this discovery only strengthened his resolve to keep her safe. It took a little bit of explaining, but he promised her that he wouldn't let anyone hurt her, that he and Bolin would keep it a secret. Korra had never been so relieved in her life.

Korra smiled as she ate her breakfast – yet another pleasant memory involving them. After that odd day, they had each taught her what they knew about their respective elements, training her to the best of their ability. And while she was still far from mastering both Earthbending and Firebending, she was farther along than she had been before she had met them.

The best part about that memory was that it reminded her about how far the three had come – from being completely distrustful of one another to becoming great, trustworthy friends. Korra could imagine no other people who she loved more than the two brothers – she'd do anything for them, and the feelings were mutual. Though, if she was being honest with herself, she loved Mako as more than just a good friend.

While the pair had had a rough start together, fighting constantly, and when not bickering remaining strictly quiet, they had grown to rely on each other and learned that once they stopped picking brawls with one another, they were both quite alike. But somewhere along the line, Korra had stopped eyeing Mako as just a buddy and more so as the man that she couldn't be with. She had fallen for him, for the way he was so caring for his brother, for his occasional bouts of dorkiness, for the way he just felt so utterly and passionately for the things he was dedicated towards. Like them, like keeping his family together and happy.

The Avatar sighed as these new thoughts cut into her previously pleasant ones – they only served as further reminders of how her feelings for Mako were a complete waste, for nothing could come of them. There were times when she just wanted them to disappear, when they would do nothing but get in the way, but much to her chagrin, they were not something that could be wished away. There were other moments when she wished she could act upon them, but at those times, she had to remind herself that there were more important, graver things going on in their lives that needed their attention, and that her feelings for him were trivial in comparison.

Deciding that she really didn't want to get into a personal debate about whether or not she should confess, she forced those thoughts out of her mind and set herself up for the long day ahead of her. Finishing her breakfast, she cleaned up and ran through her schedule mentally – she had to set up at the Pro-Bending arena until late in the evening, and then after that, she more than likely had one of her appointments with Tahno or the other... _yet another reason it would never work with him, Korra_, she thought to herself bitterly, biting her lip as her brain was invaded once again.

A very large reason she hadn't admitted how she felt also pertained to her current job, if it could even be called that. Mako made it very, very clear that he disapproved of it, always begging her to stop degrading herself – but she couldn't. It brought in far too much money for her to stop – it made their lives so much easier, allowed him to work and stress less, however, she knew he got equally as strained worrying about her while she was gone. It couldn't work because Mako was too protective, and Korra wouldn't want to continue such actions if she was with him, but she needed to, for both of them.

Just like meeting the boys, she remembered her first time as clear as a bell:

_Fifteen year old Korra wandered down the cold street, the first beginnings of rain dripping onto her shoulder, and she shivered. It was so dark, and she cursed that she hadn't even tried to memorize her path before she had left their apartment – was she even going the right way? Honestly, she hadn't a clue._

_She heard footsteps behind her, and she reluctantly angled her face back to eye the man who had been following her for several blocks. He was tall and sleazy-looking, easily twice her age, and wouldn't leave her be. She had half the mind to freeze him to the wall, but she was too tired and sore from her work earlier that day and wanting to avoid movement and conflict, didn't._

_She walked a bit faster, but he still persisted. Turning a corner, she froze when he spoke._

_"Hey, girlie," he drawled, smiling crookedly at her. Korra ignored him, but when he called at her again, she turned around, mustering as much patience as she could find._

_"Yes?" she began curtly, crossing her arms across her chest. He leered at her, and she forced herself to keep eye contact so she wouldn't snap._

_"You keep playing games, and it's fun, but honestly, let's just get this over with," he shrugged, stepping closer to her. He stank of alcohol, so obviously drunk, and Korra felt the sudden need to nearly vomit, but her curiosity got the better of her._

_"What are you talking about?" she inquired, taking a step backwards._

_"You know," he walked closer to her again, and took one of her ponytails in his hand, twirling it absentmindedly. "I'll pay good money for you. Real good money."_

_The Avatar perked at the offering of money, an instinct she had picked up from living on the streets. "For what? What kind of money?"_

_"I think you know what I want," he smiled suggestively at her, before swinging an arm around her and pulling his face close to hers. He then dug into his pocket, and seconds later, pulled out a heinous amount of cash, flashing it before her. "This much, if you're willing."_

_Korra's tired eyes nearly bugged out of her head at the amount of money being presented to her, but then she reminded herself of what the man very clearly wanted in return for such a payment. She swallowed uncertainly... was she prepared to lose something so crucial to her very being? Biting her lip, she thought of the brothers, and how much they had done for her, how much she owed them for their kindness and decided that she couldn't pass up on such cash. If it meant she could give back to the boys she loved, then she would do it for them._

_"I... o-okay." Korra was painfully aware of how shaky her voice was and how she must have shuddered when he pressed a sloppy kiss to her lips and pulled her into the closest alleyway. Thankfully, the horrible activity was over quickly, and she was easily paid and then discarded by the man, who stumbled off with a look of pure satisfaction on his filthy features._

_The Avatar shivered against the wall she was leaning on, clutching the money in her palms and trying to contain the tears that threatened to fall. As she tried to compose herself, knees wobbling wildly, she reminded herself over and over again that is was for the boys, that it was all for them and that is was worth it, but in the end, she couldn't help but cry at how empty the experience had been and how she had lost such a precious thing to an activity that had been so meaningless._

_She proceeded to cry as the rain fell as she made her way home, knowing full well her actions were irreversible._

Korra felt tears building in her eyes at the memory, but she shook her head to force them down. After she had returned home that night, she had revealed the cash to Mako, and while at first he had been happy, he immediately became suspicious of how she'd come to acquire so many Yuans. She remembered with a pang in her heart how she told him what happened with such reluctance, and how a screaming match had ensued afterwards. He had told her that she needn't do such things, while she defended her case with much difficulty by saying she wanted to give more to their small family. The rest of the night consisted of frustrated yells, strangled shouts, and uncontrollable tears on her end – it was definitely one of her worst recollections, one of the most terrible fights she had had with Mako. Those quarrels hadn't ended there, either – on occasion, they would still occur, to varying degrees. He was still so angry at her choice to continue, but there was nothing he could do about it. It was her decision, and it had been made two years beforehand and it had stuck.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she scolded herself inwardly before dressing and exiting the apartment, careful not to wake Bolin as he caught up on lost sleep. School and homework regularly tuckered out the Earthbender, and she wanted him to get as much rest as possible. As she made her way to the Pro-Bending arena, she decided right then and there that she would wasn't going to focus on anything more than her work – she couldn't afford to get distracted by her feelings or past events, and honestly, she just didn't want to deal with them. Most of the time, she was good about keeping them out of her mind, but something had happened that morning, and one memory tumbled into a distracting one and it just continued from there.

So, as she arrived at the front doors of the ever-famous building, she squared her shoulders and put on a determined face, putting out all of her previous thoughts from her head for another time to ponder.

~P~

Korra wiped her forehead free of the sweat that was dripping off of it, exhaling heavily and looking around the space she was in. It was a large storage room, and she along with a handful of other people were removing various types of training equipment and Pro-Bending supplies from it and placing it all in the gym of the arena.

The Avatar had been working vigorously since early that morning, opting out of taking a much-needed break so as not to get distracted by her previous thoughts, which had been threatening to invade her mind any chance that she let it wander.

Sighing, she shrugged to herself and walked over to the next box she saw, and bending down, heaved it up into her arms and began to make her way to the gym. Different thoughts came to Korra's mind as she made the short trip, and she stared into the box in her arms. It was filled with different coloured boxing gloves, and she smiled at the thought of Pro-Bending – she adored the sport.

It was one of the few things that the three of them all had in common: a mutual love for Pro-Bending. Though she had never been to an actual match before, even if she longed to, the brothers and her tuned into each and every one that was broadcasted on the radio, always cheering and arguing and debating over wins or losses or foul plays. It was something they bonded over. And even though Korra loved just listening to the matches with them, a very large part of her wanted to be a part of the action, as well. On more than one occasion she had found herself daydreaming about what it would be like to be a part of a Pro-Bending team, the rush of adrenaline she would get from Waterbending someone out of the ring and the pride she would feel from the cheers of fans. She would sometimes even stay behind after everyone just so she could train in private, to feel, even if temporarily, the life of a Pro-Bending athlete. It was all so exciting, but then reality hit her hard once again, interrupting her happy thoughts – it could never be. There were several different factors that worked against Korra's dream – firstly, the three of them were untrained and had no prior experience, putting them at a major, automatic disadvantage. Secondly, even if she did somehow manage to convince Mako to start up a team, there were fees – they would have to pay for the entrance fee of being a new team, bills for their new uniforms and equipment... it would all pile up, and be too much for them to afford.

"Of course," she muttered under her breath lowly. "Money is an issue once again. When is it ever not?" The realization that she was so held down by lack of money stung Korra, but it was the hard reality of life, and she had come to accept it long beforehand. Shaking her head, Korra ignored the gnawing longing in her heart and continued onwards to the gym.

Upon arrival, she gratefully dropped the weighty box and let out a huff of air, putting her hands to her hips. None of the other people helping out paid her any mind, instead exiting and going to get some more equipment and boxes.

"Korra."

The Avatar jumped at the gruff voice behind her, and regaining her composure, turned and noticed the owner of it – Toza, a retired Pro-Bender and occasional trainer to those he deemed worthy. He used to be a legend until he hurt his leg, and ever since that faithful day, he never played a match again.

He was also her current employer, and from his tone of voice, he sounded unimpressed. But then again, did he ever sound all too happy?

"U-uh, yes, sir?" Korra managed out, hoping he wasn't annoyed at her for some reason. She skimmed through her mind of things she could have possibly done to irritate him, but nothing came to her.

"After your shift is over, I want to speak with you." At that, he nodded at her and turned, his lame gait causing him to have to trudge out of the room rather than walk.

Korra began to panic then – she couldn't lose this job! She – _they _– needed it! Her brain began to fill with ludicrous ideas as to what he wanted to talk to her about, what she could have done for him to fire her. Had she been a little late one day? Had she ever been particularly snappish when he spoke with her? She honestly didn't have a clue as to what could be the cause of her imminent firing, but her head didn't stop giving her petty reasons to focus on until she felt as though her brain was going to fry.

Distractedly, her day continued like so, fixating and moving about boxes, until late that evening, and when the last helper left for home, she stayed behind. Ringing her hands together nervously and leaning against a wall, she waited with great impatience for the old Waterbender.

After waiting for an agonizing amount of time, he appeared in the gym, limping over to her. He, however, did not stop to speak with her, instead continuing past her waiting form and bending some leftover equipment to the side of the room. As he did so, he talked casually to her.

"Have you ever thought about having your own Pro-Bending team, Korra?" he questioned, not turning to face her. Korra quirked an eyebrow at the elder, though he could not see it. She already had an answer, but just as she was about to open her mouth to respond, he did so for her. "Of course you have. I've seen you standing around and dreaming about – what else could you be thinkin' about? I've seen you here, after everyone's left, too. I've seen you train, Korra." He turned then, dropping a weight suddenly and staring at her, jabbing his finger in her direction. "You're good, young lady. You've got real talent, real moxie in ya."

The Avatar blinked incredulously at him. Her heart was pounding in her chest at his words, at the possibility of what he was implying. But she forced down the elatedness building within her, forced herself to accept disappointment – her life was filled with it because of her background, and she wasn't about to let her excitement get the better of her when it was more apt to blow up in her face than anything else. She felt embarrassment at her late night training sessions being found out, and biting her lip, she turned away from his spying eye. Shrugging casually, she tried to be humble, despite the pride swelling in her chest. "I-I guess," she managed out.

"Don't tell me you're not good, kid," he scolded. "Talent like yours only shows up once in..." He looked at a loss for words, before throwing his hands up in his annoyance at not being able to find the one he wanted, "...well, in a long time, that's all I know! All I'm saying is that it shouldn't be wasted."

The room went quiet, and the Avatar blinked at the floor, unsure of the situation when he didn't speak any further. When her curiosity got the better of her, she spoke up, "So, what are you asking of me, sir? Why did want to talk to me?"

Toza continued to ignore her for a few more seconds, before huffing out, "I'm offering you the chance to start your own team, expenses paid, that's what. With a bit of training with yours truly." Though Korra tried to contain herself in that moment, what with her suspicions confirmed, she lunged forward, hugging the old man tightly.

"S-seriously? You'd do that?" she questioned, blinking at him. As ecstatic as she was, a part of Korra felt like this was too good an opportunity to be true, and her natural instinct caused for her to inquire him about it.

"I don't kid around about Pro-Bending," he shrugged her off, bowing his head and turning back to moving around the scattered weights.

Korra resisted the urge of making a fool out of herself then and so didn't jump around, but a large grin took over her features and refused to disappear. "Thank you, thank you, _thank you_!" she went to hug him again, but he pushed her away with a wrinkly hand. It dawned on her then, and with an abrupt frown, she looked down at him. "What do you mean 'expenses paid'? I... I can't let you just... _do _that!"

"Sure ya can. I can provide the gear and cover the costs. Hell, anything to get me a little more involved in the sport. It's been too damn long," he waved his hand dismissively, as if he hadn't just given her several hundred Yuans worth of fees free. "All I need from you in return," he turned back to look at her, "is for you and your... friends or whatever to try your best. Utilize the talent I know y'all got. I know you're perfectly capable of winning this competition with them, Korra. And if you do... well, you'll be out of those slums for good. And even if not, by just participating and winning a few matches you'll earn yourself a good bunch of Yuans for spending." Korra's eyes sparkled at that, and he allowed a rare, genuine smile to grace his weathered features. "Now, get out of here," he motioned towards the door, "I'm done with you here."

Korra's chest felt as those it was going to burst with gratitude for the gruff man in front of her, and quickly, she stepped forward and gave him another hug and mouthed to him, grin wide, "Thank you." Before he could swat her away, she retreated and ran towards the gym entrance, shaking in her enthusiasm to tell the boys.

As she walked, there was a noticeable bounce in her step, and when she was halfway back to the apartment, the full brunt of it all hit her. She span around several times in spot, nearly throwing her arms up in her glee and just narrowly preventing herself from squealing the rest of the way home. She couldn't wait to tell Mako and Bolin – they would be just as thrilled as she was! As her initial high began to wear down, her thoughtfulness for the situation came forth, and with a soft smile, she considered the farfetched possibility of them even winning the competition, like Toza had told her so confidently that they could. Like he said – if they won, they could leave their former lives behind and start anew. The thought was so enticing and she could picture it so vividly, almost _feel _the different lifestyle that was just begging to be hers.

Arriving at her apartment building, she smiled triumphantly, the chance of winning fanning the flames of her confidence and hopefulness.

~P~

Mako sighed heavily, stretching out along the length of their ratty couch and putting his arms behind his head. His eyes drifting shut, planning on getting some much-needed rest, he allowed himself to relax, but just as he could feel the darkness of sleep closing in on his mind, did the door burst open and he shot up like a bullet, accustomed to be ready at a moment's notice.

"What's going on?" he started, blinking blearily at their door. Collecting his disoriented mind, his eyes focussed on who it was – a nearly-vibrating Korra, a bright, eager smile adorning her pretty features. "Korra?" He sat up straighter, groaning a bit. "What—why so loud?"

"Mako!" she burst out then, jumping over the couch and narrowly avoiding landing on his legs. Turning, she placed her hands on his knees and leaned forward, flashing her grin towards him. "Guess what? Guess what just happened to me... or more so, us?"

He blinked, eyebrow cocked, much too tired to really care to guess. "Uh, you got a raise or something?"

"No, silly, better! Toza offered us the chance to start a Pro-Bending team – and I agreed!" Her eyes were closed in her happiness, so she did not see the disbelief, elatedness, and then sudden questioning, unimpressed look pass on his face.

Despite the erratic pounding of his heart in his chest, Mako forced himself to be more analytical, more mistrustful, like his usual nature entailed. "What are the conditions?" he asked, crossing his arms. "You know we don't have the money to pay for gear, Korra, and—"

"He said he'll let us use it for free!" she answered quickly, interrupting him, bubbling inside from her joy. "And that's not even the best part – he said he'd train us. The famous Toza wants to train _us_, Mako! Us!" She crawled forward, not caring about their close proximity, and latched her hands into his jacket, shaking him a bit, trying to convey to him her excitement. Mako studied her face – big beautiful eyes staring down at him, waiting for a reaction that was similar to hers, and an infectious, glowing grin that he felt forming on his own face.

Finally allowing himself to feel the same glee she was, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace against his chest. Korra was surprised by this sudden show of affection, but nonetheless complied, bringing her arms up to hang around his neck. After a short while passed, he pulled away from her enough so he could smile brilliantly at her and speak. "K-Korra," he tried to reign in the emotion that was affecting his speech. "This is amazing. This means..." He was almost having trouble fathoming it, as she had originally. "...this means that we'll—"

"It means you won't have to work so hard anymore – you can finally breathe like you deserve, Mako," she answered for him, bringing up one of her hands to cup his cheek. She resisted the urge to stroke the flesh of his face, instead just taking further joy in the glory his smile and flushed face held. She had never seen him so happy!

"And _you_, Korra," he took the hand against his face and held it in his own, squeezing it, his features softening, "won't have to sleep around anymore. You won't have to degrade yourself any longer." As these words left his lips, Mako could already feel his conscience relaxing at knowing that Korra would no longer be selling herself. Korra looked to the side then, scowling – it was true, but only if they won. If not, she would still have to, and even maybe a bit during their time in the tournament...

If there was one thing Mako absolutely hated, it was Korra's choice two years beforehand to sell her body for money. He always tried to express to her how dangerous the job was physically. How her "clients", as she called them, could be carrying something harmful or how she could be hurt when dealing with those she was with. She was perfectly capable of protecting herself, but the thought of someone causing pain to her made the Firebender's blood boil. He cared for her, loved her, just like he did with Bolin. There was always the risk of pregnancy, too, and while the idea of her expecting a child with some random man made Mako sick, she had reassured him more than once that she always took precautions to make sure nothing was ever transmitted and she was never left with such a hazard as falling pregnant.

But there was another reason Mako hated it, a much more personal reason, for he shared those other concerns with his brother. The mere thought of Korra's wriggling beneath another man, being forced into an act she did not at all enjoy, made his heart twist violently in his chest. Sometimes, when the pair went out, she would get hungry looks from men or inappropriate calls from ones she had been with, requesting her presence once again even if she wasn't "available" for the night. The way they would leer at her, grab at her, the disrespectful names they would dub her – it made him want to set them all ablaze, for making such a wonderful woman feel as worthless as mud. Seeing how torn up she could be afterwards, how she would come home with bruises from being handled roughly or crying even, Mako always felt helpless, felt her pain, like he should have been there to prevent such things from happening, to help comfort her before the tears could fall. But he couldn't. He couldn't protect someone he loved and he hated feeling so inadequate.

It was jealousy, he knew it. It pricked his heart each time she left the apartment for one of her "appointments", and intensified when she returned a few hours later, hair mussed up and a worn-out, dulled look in her pretty blue eyes.

The Firebender didn't know what to make of his feelings for Korra. When they had first met, he had found her an untrustworthy nuisance, who just put more of a burden on him as he tried to find different means to just survive by. She worked her way into their lives and refused to get lost. She challenged his authority as they grew older, always annoying him and picking unproductive fights. He originally thought he hated her, but as they grew closer, he knew this was as far from the truth as possible.

Mako could no longer imagine a life that didn't have Korra in it. Along with his brother, she completed his, gave him a little more reason to wake up each more and trudge on with his usual routine. Long ago, he had extended to her the same love he felt for Bolin, the same protectiveness and warmth she had always provided for them. They were there to look after one another, and that wasn't going to change if he could help it. And while he considered her a part of their small family, there was a little chunk of Mako that viewed her differently, made his heart beat erratically and unevenly. It was the piece of him that was irrevocably in love with the Avatar, that never got a chance to express itself, because he wouldn't let it. There was too much going on _all the time_ for him to ever find a good chance to sit down with her and just convey his feelings for her.

And besides, he had told himself bitterly one day, why would she want him? They may have the same street child back story, but they were two very different people. While Korra was the Avatar, bound for greatness in her future, he was just Mako the Firebender, forever doomed to live a meagre life in the hoods of Republic City. She was way out of his league, and not wanting to get distracted from his already regimented and chaotic lifestyle, he didn't say anything to her, pushing his feelings to the back of his mind and focussing solely on keeping their small family afloat in the world. It was difficult, but he had managed so far.

He blinked up at Korra, waiting for a response to his words. She was looking away from him, though, a frown set on her face. "What is it?" he asked, voice soft.

"I... you've reminded me. I've got to go see Tahno." She bit her lip, her fingers digging into his shirt at the realization, knowing how he was going to react. Mako blinked at her, and could already feel his blood curdling in annoyance at her uttering the name of the cruel Waterbender. His grip on her arms tightened, and his eyes narrowed in a glare. Korra saw his face out of the corner of her eye, and before he could speak, she rolled out of his arms and stood up, smoothing out her clothes and making her way towards the door quickly.

"Korra!" Mako started, sitting up and turning to the entrance of their apartment.

"Please, don't do this, Mako," she told him, eyes pleading. "I don't want to have a yelling match this time. Just let me go, okay?"

Not wanting to reduce her to tears, as he had before with his shouting, he bowed his head and looked to the floor. Begrudgingly, his mouth set in a hard line, he nodded. "Fine."

"Thank you," she whispered, smiling sadly at him, before opening the door and exiting like she had never even been there. Mako sighed heavily after hearing the door click, before slumping into the couch to fall into a restless nap, his worry for Korra running through his mind the entire time.

~P~

The sound of the headboard making contact with the wall reverberated in Korra's ear, drowning out the grunting noise that Tahno was making above her as he thrust. One of his hands was in her hair, pulling violently, while the other gripped her waist painfully, his nails digging into the sensitive skin of her hip.

Displeased with her unresponsiveness, he leaned up and kissed her aggressively, forcing his tongue into her mouth and biting her lips. The Avatar squeaked as his teeth sunk into her lower lip, but was unable to resist his advances, and so wrapping her arms around his neck, pulled the closer together, causing him to groan gutturally and thrust deeper within her.

Korra trembled as his mouth moved from hers downwards, his teeth scraping along her jaw line, down her neck and then nibbling on the pulse point at her nape. His hand travelled along her curves, exploring and pinching cruelly, actions that would later cause bruising, she knew it.

The Avatar was long since accustomed to numbing herself emotionally during sex, and so now was no different. While she was responding mechanically to Tahno's usual treatment of her, mentally, she was off somewhere else.

As he pumped into her, sweaty skin slapping, she wondered to herself what it would be like if this were with Mako. Undoubtedly, she'd actually enjoy it, for it would be with someone she loved dearly. She imagined that he would be slow and tentative, considerate of her emotions during the ordeal. His kisses and touches would be meaningful instead of one-sided and rushed like Tahno's or Tarrlok's. They would leave her burning and wanting more, which he would gladly give her. She and Mako would be making love, not senselessly fucking like she was right then with the Waterbender.

Korra was brought out of her idyllic reverie when she felt Tahno thrust deeply and painfully within her, his fingernails raking down her back and a few seconds later, she felt him spasm over top of her and then fill her as he climaxed. She shuddered as he rolled off of her, panting heavily, a satisfied smirk crossing his features. Korra took a few seconds to herself, trying to compose her emotions and catch her breath, before sitting up suddenly and reaching for her clothes, pulling them on as she went.

"You know," Tahno drawled from his place on his bed, where he was stretched out languidly. "You don't have to go back to those losers. There's always a place for you in my bed."

"I care about those supposed losers," she growled back, picking her top up. She looked down at her chest and inspected the bruises and bumps that littered it, all caused by the man before her. Shaking her head, she blinked back the tears before throwing her shirt on and turning away from him. She needed out of there, and she needed out of there _now_.

"_Why_? I can give you so much more. Your Firebender will never have what I have," he sneered, pulling his hair out of his sweaty face.

"Shut up!" she span around, seething. "We may not have the money you do, but at least he has humility, at least he's capable of _love_." Tahno's smug smirk grew on his face, and leaning over, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her close to his face.

"Just remember, I _own_ you, he doesn't, Korra," his swamp accent was thick as he spoke, his voice husky, and it made her skin crawl. Ripping her hand from his grasp, she resisted the urge to punch him, and reluctantly letting his words sink in, her throat grew tight and constricted the more she thought them over.

Pulling her left boot on, she shook her head and went to his dresser. Grabbing her payment that sat upon it, she exited his room. As she did, he began to laugh at her, the noise echoing in her ears long after she had left his home. When she was almost back to her apartment, the shame began to set in, and she choked back a sob. She abhorred Tahno, but at the same time, he was willing to pay handsomely for her services, and so she never denied him. But by accepting the Waterbender, she also accepted the abuse he threw at her, which consisted of insults towards the boys and how she should leave them be to come live with him as some sort of live-in sex toy.

For months, she had put up with his name-calling and taunts, but for some reason, his comments had gotten under her skin more so than usual that night and she couldn't help but feel a tear fall down the length of her face. Was it him saying that she belonged to him, when she so clearly didn't, or was it from the gradual building up of his mistreatment of her? Korra didn't know or care – all she knew is that it made her feel downright awful, and there was nothing she could do about it.

~P~

Mako tapped his gloved fingers on the counter, impatiently awaiting Korra's arrival home. His eyes kept drifting shut, his mind begging for sleep, but he wouldn't let himself, not yet. After she had left him and he had tried to get at least a nap in, he found he could not fall asleep without knowing if she was okay. So he had stayed up in favour of seeing her when she came back despite his exhaustion.

Placing his head in his hand, he closed his eyes momentarily, hoping he would be able to control his flaring temper if she did in fact come in littered with bruises or the like. With a shamed sigh, he recounted all the times he had yelled at her because of them, because of his jealousy, because he just _hated _her "job". Opening his eyes and glaring at the ground, he remembered with a jab to his heart the first time he ever did so, the night she lost it all and came to them with a handful of Yuans:

_When Korra walked in the front door of their apartment, the first thing Mako did was not inspect her or question her reasoning for being missing for so long – no, the first thing he had did was jump down her throat. "Where the hell were you?" he threw his hands out at her rain-drenched form. In his anger, he could not differentiate between the raindrops and her tears._

_She did not answer him immediately, but she shook out of the frigid dampness of her clothes surrounding her. Mako was glad Bolin was already asleep – obviously, something was about to go down, for he was seething and she was not responding to his harsh question._

_"Answer me, Korra!" he yelled, stepping closer to her. He was expressing his worry for her through his emotions, which were flaring right then. She still did not speak, instead shaking her head quickly before thrusting her hand into his chest, and he blinked at it incredulously. Held tightly within her palm was a thick handful of Yuans – Mako had never seen so many altogether in his life. At first, he was happy for the amount of money she was presenting, but then his better judgement took over – how did she even procure such cash?_

_"Where did you get this?" he asked, quieter and more composed. Korra sniffled, and he finally took into account her broken appearance. "Please, tell me."_

_"I... a man," she managed. "He... he..." She was avoiding eye contact with the Firebender, something he noticed. What did she have to hide from him? "He said he'd pay me well if I gave him sex. So... I did. And he followed through on the money."_

_In that moment, Mako's blood ran cold and his eyes ran over Korra. He noticed what he had not before – her sloppy clothes, her pained expression and the continuous tears that were falling from her eyes... all because she had lost it. To some random man. The Firebender then felt scorching rage fill him, and he voiced it. Slapping her hand away, he clutched her arms and brought her face closer to his. "Why would you do that, Korra? Why would you give something up like that for some money?"_

_Korra trembled in his grasp, biting her lip and shaking her head again. "I did it for you two!" she answered after a short bit. Mako let go of her then, and she continued to talk. "You've both given me so much, and I... wanted to give back to you. I never knew how to – b-but then this came along and there was too much money to refuse, Mako... I could give both of you back what you deserve from me."_

_Gratitude filled Mako, but then hurt that she figured she had to go to such extreme measures to obtain money. At the reminder at what had happened, he filled with blind fury again, and he growled lowly, "You idiot! So you slept with someone for money? How could you do that to yourself! How could you lower yourself down to that of a common whore, Korra? I thought you were better than that!" He knew his words were stinging her from the whimper that escaped her lips, and he knew he shouldn't have been yelling at her at all, but he was angry, and it needed to be expressed._

_"Like I said, I did it for you!" she stepped forward then, arms crossed tightly. "And..." She looked at the ground as she whispered next, "And I've decided that I'm not going to stop it. It brings in so much money, Mako, how could I not? By doing this, I can—"_

_"Stop, Korra! Stop treating yourself like this! Let me worry about money!" he begged, interrupting her. "Just let me keep control of the situation like I always have!"_

_"I don't want you to!" she fought back, her eyes now blazing with the same intensity of Mako's amber ones. "I don't want to be the protected little girl anymore, Mako; I want to help you out for once! I've grown up, I don't always need to be looked after all the time!"_

_"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" he argued, throwing his hands up in his frustration. "Why can't you be normal and listen when you're told to do something?"_

_"Because I have a mind of my own that you don't get to control!" she fought back, fists clenched. "I get to make my own decisions, and this is all my choice! I'm continuing with it, so deal with it!"_

_"You're such a stupid kid, Korra!" he insulted her, pulling one hand down his face, annoyed by her inability to see it from his point of view. How inappropriate it was of her to do such an act just for some money that he could earn after a few extra hours put in at the factory. "What if you catch something? What are you going to do then? Because we all know there won't be any cure for you, not that we'd be able to afford it!"_

_Korra blinked at him, scared by what he was implying. "Stop it, Mako," she warned, tone low. But he was on a roll, fuelled by anger, and he was not going to listen to her words._

_"Eventually, you'll just end up rotting from the inside out, dying! Bo and I will have to watch you die, Korra, did you think of that? How it will affect Bolin? How it will affect me?" The Firebender knew he was being extreme and selfish, but there was always the possibility that she could, in fact, catch something, though the thought of it made his stomach wrench._

_"Mako, stop it! Stop talking about that!" she pleaded, putting her hands over her ears to block him out. But his voice cut through the flesh, and she could still hear him as clear as day._

_"He'll be heartbroken, watching you waste away! You'll just be another person who left us behind, and—" Mako was cut short, for Korra walked up to him and backhanded him abruptly, causing his face to turn sideways and his eyes to widen in shock._

_"I told you to shut up, you insensitive jerk!" she cried, feeling tears well up in her eyes again and begin to cascade down her cheeks and drip off of her chin. "Why would you say that? Why would you say any of that? I thought we cared about each other! Friends don't say that to other friends, Mako! They don't imply the other's death!" Curling her hand into her chest, she turned away from him and a sob escaped her throat. "How could you?"_

_"Korra, I—" He went to try to explain himself, the shock of the hit bringing him down from his anger, making him sensible again. However, she was not willing to listen to his apology, and shaking her head, she made her way for the door again. "Korra, stop! Listen to me! I'm—" Just as he was about apologize, she opened the door and left him there, slamming it shut in her wake. Mako could just feel his heart cracking as he listened to her crying and sniffling as she exited the apartment._

_Blinking at the doorway, he shook his head to himself before turning to the wall, hitting his head against it lightly. "You asshole," he muttered to himself, wishing he could go back and redo the entire situation, handle it better, give her the support he knew she had been wanting. But he couldn't – he had spoken, and she was gone now._

The memory was painfully vivid in the Firebender's mind. He was remorseful of ever having treated her so badly. She had, of course, returned, but it had been weeks before she had forgiven him for his outburst, and even then, it hadn't prevented him from freaking out at her further after she decided to continue with it. These spats of theirs were always harsher and more hurtful than any others, and try as he might, Mako could rarely contain his true feelings towards them. He hated them and he hated her choice, but he loved her, and so this time, he was going to try to be thoughtful and tolerant, for her sake.

As if on cue, Mako heard the door's lock click, and he straightened, staring at the door for its inevitable opening. Korra appeared a few seconds later, and while she was not crying, her face had noticeable trails of dried tears on it. As she shut it, Mako stood up and walked over to her.

Turning, she jumped a bit, surprised by the Firebender's presence – she expected him to be long asleep by then! "Mako?" she blinked at him. "What're you doing up?"

"I..." He felt his face heat up as he spoke, avoiding eye contact with her, "wanted to wait for you... because I care about you, Korra." He pulled a hand through his hair then.

"Oh, Mako," she smiled softly despite her shaken emotions. "You didn't have to. You must be exhausted."

"I couldn't sleep without knowing you were safe... that you were here," he admitted, finally forcing himself to look at her. He saw the vulnerability in her eyes, and lifting his hand, brushed it past the skin of her cheek. "And... I know you can protect yourself, but I just need the reassurance of you being here with Bolin and me."

"I understand," she nodded once at him. Smiling at him, she was just about to walk past him when he captured her in his arms, pulling her flush against him. She was about to question his hugging her, but her feelings for him betrayed her, and she melted into the embrace.

"I... just wanted to tell you how much you mean to me, Korra," he whispered into her hair. Pulling back, his hands on her shoulders, he blushed again. "I-I mean, to both of us, Bolin and I... uh, yeah." He knew it was a pathetic cover, but he had to at least try.

"You mean a lot, too. I'll be honest," she chuckled bitterly, "if it wasn't for you two, I'd probably be dead right now."

Mako froze at that statement, before frowning. "Don't say that, Korra. Never say that." He placed his hand on her hip then, but she squeaked and pulled away suddenly, as though he had hurt her. Narrowing his eyes and quirking an eyebrow, he inquired about the reaction despite already suspecting its cause. "What's wrong?"

"I... uh," Korra sighed, knowing that lying was futile. "Tahno was a little more aggressive than usual, that's all. Just a bruise."

Mako glared at the spot he had touched, imagining the Waterbender running his fingers up and down Korra's sides. It made him sick to think he had hurt her, marked her. He breathed in and out deeply, containing his fluctuating anger at her admittance. Tahno had no right, and he wanted him to suffer for his mistreatment towards Korra, but he wasn't going to show it. He was going to be level-headed like he usually was, like she deserved from him.

"I don't support your decision, but I support you..." He was careful to avoid that area of her hip, instead resting his hand higher, on the small of her back. "And I want to thank you, for everything you've done for us. Every sacrifice you've made for the benefit of Bo and I."

Korra laughed softly then, and Mako relaxed as the noise travelled through his ears. "I should be thanking you," she admitted then, "you're the one who virtually took me in when we were younger. You trusted me solely on your little brother's acceptance of me and then after that, you provided for all of us. I'm indebted to you, Mako." She lifted her arms then and hugged him closely, secretly revelling in their closeness.

Closing his eyes, the Firebender allowed himself to just enjoy himself for a few moments, memorizing the feel of Korra's body against his own. Stroking her back with his gloved hand lightly, he murmured in her ear, "And I'm sorry. For everything cruel I've ever said to you, Korra. You're the last person who deserves my anger." Korra responded by turning her face into his nape, resting it against his neck and squeezing him affectionately. Mako smiled, knowing he was forgiven for his past offences against her.

When a short while passed, she yawned and pulled away from him, staring into his amber eyes with thankful, half-lidded blue ones. Both could feel the charge between them, and it didn't take either long to yield to it, for a few seconds later, their eyes were fluttering shut and they were leaning forward. Korra's heart was pounding in her chest so loudly she almost thought he could hear it, too, while Mako the only noise passing through Mako's ears was the blood rushing in them. However, before their lips could connect, there was a bang from the brothers' bedroom and then suddenly, Bolin appeared at the doorway.

"What's with all the talking, guys? You're making a racket!" he complained, rubbing his eyes and blinking blearily. It took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the scene in front of him, but by the time it did, his brother and Korra had jumped apart, blushing profusely.

"Sorry, bro," Mako apologized quickly, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I was just talking to Korra about a few things. But we're, uh, done now." He looked back over at her quickly, but before they could make eye contact, his eyes evaded hers.

Bolin peered in between the two, but was too foggy from sleep still to come to a clear conclusion. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned around and marched back into the bedroom, yawning and stretching his thick arms. "Okay, then," he muttered, before face planting into his bed, almost falling asleep immediately afterwards.

When Bolin's snoring began to fill the room, Korra yawned again, and Mako noticed. Smiling softly, he said, "You should probably get to bed. You must be exhausted." She turned to him and nodded, before moving to go the couch, her usual sleeping arrangements. "You know," he flushed furiously, "you could sleep in my bed, if you want." The sleepy Avatar raised an eyebrow at him. "I'll take the couch, okay?" he finished then, sitting beside her on the ratty, uncomfortable thing. She was about to open her mouth to protest, but he shook his head. "No, go on, Korra. Go get some sleep." She blinked at him, before giving him a small smile and standing up.

"Thank you, again, Mako," she placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently before retreating into the Firebender's shared room. She peered at him as she shut the squeaky door slowly, and mouthed out, "Goodnight."

"'Night," he waved at her, giving her the same warm smile she was directing at him. Finally, Korra shut the door and he was left all by his lonesome. Looking around the room, he stood up and found the light switch. Turning it off, he made his way back to the sofa in the dark of the room, before kicking off his boots and pulling off his scarf and gloves and setting them on the pathetically small coffee table in front of him. Leaning back into the couch, Mako was able to ignore the discomfort it caused him, and filled with thoughts of Korra, he easily and gratefully descended into a deep slumber.

~P~

**Author's Notes: **What a rambly, long-ass chapter this one. Ugh.

Now,if you're wondering where Bo is... he was out having fun! This entire chapter takes place on a Saturday, and I figure when it comes to Bolin, who has to go to school all week, he would want to go out and have fun on his weekend evenings, for he never has any chance else to! So that explains his absence for the majority of this chapter. XD

The middle part with Mako and Korra is half-based on FinalxFantasyxFreak's fic, so I'll give her credit there! :D

I hope this chapter's excessive length makes up for how long it took to get posted. I meant to finish on Tuesday, but I got distracted multiple times and wasn't able to finish it until today. I'm so sorry! . I hope I'm not like this with the rest of the chapters of this story!

Well, regardless, I hope you all like it! :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes: **I do not own Avatar!

~P~

_Chapter Three_

~P~

While the initial idea of beginning a Pro-Bending team was appealing to the three, it quickly proved to be a difficult arrangement. Much to their shared displeasure, the only slot that Toza could get them in for them to practice was early in the morning, time that Mako was meant to spend working and Bolin in school. And while this immediately didn't check in well with the Firebender, with a little convincing from both Korra and Bolin, he agreed to on the condition that his brother would put in extra hours for studying so that he wouldn't fall behind in his education.

Korra was grateful for the introduction of Pro-Bending in her life, as it provided a distraction from the growing non-bender violence in the city and her duties as the Avatar that she should have been fulfilling to protect people. She would stare at newspaper articles citing Equalist rallies or other disturbing progresses for hours, her mind racing with her responsibilities, and sometimes, Mako would catch her and remind her of the dangers that would befall them all if she were to reveal her secret. And while she knew he was right, that the riots and hatred mixed with her revealing would just transcend into an all-out war for her capture overnight, making the city even more hazardous, she couldn't help but feel selfish and guilty.

But with the Pro-Bending competition now in her sights and the determination to win driving her forward, she no longer had the time to dwell on the city's collective issues. Most of her days were filled with waking up just as early as she normally would and training for a few hours before the more experienced teams made their ways to the arena. She would still pay visits to Tahno and her other clients later in the evening, though, much to Mako's chagrin.

Days passed normally and Korra was ecstatic for the impending tournament – it was only a few more weeks before it would begin, and the Fire Ferrets – the name of their new team – were improving each and every day. Their chances of winning the championship pot were growing every time they practiced.

But, as usual, luck was rarely on their side. Bolin became ill and missed a small handful of practices and the medication he required cost a pretty Yuan that put a considerable dent in their wallets. On top of that, financial issues began to catch up with them. With Mako working less than usual, not as much money was earned and so their lifestyles began to suffer because of it. Though they were hardly scraping up food from a dumpster, there was a noticeable decline in the quantity and quality of the food they ate and they never had the extra spending money they once did. It was frustrating for them all, because before Korra's agreement to start a Pro-Bending team, things had been pleasantly stable within their household, but now they were wavering once again, and it only added more stress onto Mako, even though it was meant to bring him peace of mind.

The Firebender began to become more wired than before – he never was half-assed about things he did, and that was no different with their starting a Pro-Bending team. He drilled his brother and Korra about keeping focussed when training, pushed himself to the extreme and utilized every second of practice that they got, and the Avatar came to realization that he was even more caught up in winning the tournament than she was. She was a bit annoyed that he just doubled his load of stress instead of lessening it, but Korra knew that that was just how Mako was – a protector, a worker – and even when he was handed a favourable situation, he still exerted himself to the brink. It was just in his nature, in his upbringing.

But as their finances depleted and their situation became more and more desperate, Mako came to a decision that he had long since promised himself he would only resort to if no other option presented itself. He hated what he had to do, and he knew that both of them would disapprove as he did of Korra's prostitution, but if it meant stabilizing their lifestyles again, he was more than willing to do it. He would not allow the three of them to be forced back into a life of just barely getting by.

The Firebender decided that the next practice they had, was when he would tell them. So when Monday morning approached, so did the time for Mako to admit his decision.

"With how things are going now," Mako spoke up, punching a bag with brutal force, "we're not going to have enough money to pay the rent on the apartment for this month." As his statement sunk in, he sent a short collection of shots with growing intensity at the punching bag before him – even the mere thought of transcending back into a life on the street angered him, pushed him to the brink of desperation.

Korra stopped the sparring session she was having with Bolin and stared at Mako, a lump forming in her throat that prevented her from speaking. She knew that he was worrying about their money situation, but it was unlike him to bring it up in conversation, for he normally liked to deal with it by himself without their interference. There was only one reason why Mako ever willingly spoke about monetary problems, and though she wanted to deny it, she knew what it was, what he was going to say to them, and it made her heart clench in her chest and her palms grow clammy.

"Hey, you know I can always get a few new people," she blurted out then, walking closer to the Firebender along with the Earthbender at her side. "We'd have enough money in a short amount—"

Mako knew what she was implying, and turning around with a scowl, he interrupted her. "Not a chance, Korra. I already know what I'm going to do." He was already preparing himself for the anger and worry of the two that were going to be directed to him – this wasn't the first time he had decided to do something so dangerous for the sake of some Yuans.

"Then you already know what we're going to say," Bolin interjected, crossing his arms and frowning at his brother.

"It's the same old song and dance, Bo," he sighed, raising his arm to wipe some sweat off his brow. "And just like every time before this, I'm not going to let either of you stop me. This is my decision."

"You're such a hypocrite," Korra accused, jabbing her finger out at him. "You tell me constantly how you hate what I do but then you tell us we have no right getting upset when you go off with your stupid gang involvement? Just like with me, it hurts us, too, Mako." Her face softened then, pleading with him. Mako had to look away – it was the same face he gave her when he was begging her not to go off to another arrangement with Tahno or the like, and just like Korra's stubborn self, he never listened or relented.

"You two, it'll just be this last time. We really need the money, and I'm not willing to see us out on the streets again just because I don't do this," he exhaled, walking away from the pair and grabbing a bottle of water, sipping from it.

Korra crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him. "That's what you said last time, and the time before that... when will it end, Mako? All... all you end up doing is getting hurt so _badly_, and it's so difficult for us to watch. And have you even thought about how this will affect your Pro-Bending, if you get hurt?"

Mako scoffed, suddenly embittered and ignored her last question, only addressing the first few words. "Like you selling yourself is any better, Korra? That's difficult for us to watch, too, and yet you never stop. This isn't up for discussion – I'm just informing you of the choice I've made."

Korra went to defend his statement against her, but bit her lip when she realized that he was right. Wanting to get the last word in, though, she turned to him, hands on her hips, and yelled, "Do whatever you want then, Mako! See if I care! I won't be the one healing your stupid broken arm this time around!" And at that, she stomped off from the group, unwilling to deal with Mako's stubbornness.

Mako blinked in Korra's direction, but just as he was about to walk off after her, Bolin placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. "Nothing you say is going to make her less upset," he whispered. "You've made your decision, and no matter how you word it she's still going to be angry with you."

Mako sighed, hanging his head in defeat. He knew his brother was correct – it was like every time he went off, it didn't matter what she said to him to try to comfort him that she would be okay, he was still always bitter and irritated. "She needs to learn," he huffed then, trying to cover up his own annoyance at the situation. "We're not kids anymore and she's not always as persuasive as she thinks she is. Some things in life just need to be done the hard way – she knows that, so why does she always oppose me when I say I'm going to do this?"

Bolin squeezed his brother's arm affectionately before removing it. "You need to learn, too, then, big bro. You know why – you know it's because she cares and just wants to see us safe and happy. And you getting involved with the triads does not spell out 'safety' to any of us, clearly."

"It's what needs to happen!" Mako threw his arms out, exasperated by the subject. "I'm not letting her sell herself anymore than she has to, and you need to stay in school! I know it's risky, but... but I do it because _I care_, too!"

"I know, Mako, I know," Bolin nodded his head sadly, before walking away from his brother and towards the gym exit. "We should probably start to head out. The next team will be coming in soon. See ya in the change rooms."

The Firebender waved absentmindedly at his brother, his mind overflowing with anxiety towards his impending triad work that night. Collecting his things together, he proceeded to follow his brother's course to the male change room, where he barely paid the Earthbender any mind, far too distracted by his thoughts to.

This wasn't the first time that Mako had taken a short-term job with the triads to provide extra money for their small family. He had done so multiple times when they were younger, when they needed it more than ever just to survive. He still remembered the first time, how he was only eleven and how he had broken his arm in the incident.

And so his brother's disappointment and Korra's anger was something he was used to when regarding the situation. Korra disapproved of his involvement as much as he did about her prostitution, always so vehement in her yelling at him, trying to convince him otherwise. It was for the same reasons, too – he more than usual came back battered and bruised from his "work" and Korra would have to be the one to attend to the horrible gashes and sickening wounds. He was always silent when she healed him, rarely ever expressing the discomfort and pain cast over him, because it would just give her another reason to tell him 'I told you so'.

In recent years, he had pretty much given it up, much to the Avatar and his brother's pleasure, because even though he didn't openly admit it to the other two, it was dangerous work that he didn't enjoy one bit. He didn't like attacking innocent people or defending turf for fearful mafia bosses. And because he managed to snag a stable job, their income had become steadier and the need to participate in such unlawful activities fizzled out. And, something Mako kept to himself, if he could prevent the hurt that both is brother and the woman he loved went through, then it was more than worth it to stop.

But sometimes, certain situations arose, such as their current predicament, and those were times that Mako had to resort back to doing such dangerous work, because he'd be damned if he watched Korra get passed around anymore than she already was.

Running a hand through his freshly-washed hair and sighing, Mako exited the change room and began to wander off to leave the arena so he could arrive at work. But as his luck would have had it, just as he walked past the female change room, Korra stepped out, and the pair stared at each other. Her face was bright red, and he could think of several reasons as to why. Struggling to find his voice, Mako rasped out, "Korra, I—"

"Save it," she waved her hand at him before scooting away from him, completing dismissing the stunned Firebender.

Blinking at her retreating form, he simply scowled to himself and continued stalking off. "If she wants to be that way, fine then," he grumbled to himself quietly. He knew this was far from the truth, however, and that he wanted nothing more than for her to see it from the same perspective as him. Or in the very least, allow him to give her the comfort that she constantly provided him with.

~P~

When Mako returned home later that evening, Korra made sure to make a show of letting him know she wasn't speaking to him. She stuck her nose up in the air and crossed her arms and harrumphed around when he tried to speak with her, barely allowing him to get a word in. If he was going to be so negligent about his own wellbeing, then for once, she wasn't going to allow herself to care, either.

But when the Firebender only gave her a saddened look and left late that night for his assigned task, she couldn't help but feel his eyes burrow into her and leave her feeling guilty over how she was acting. When the door clicked, signalling his leaving, she felt panicked, not just because of the unknown of how and when he would return, but about how she had treated him prior.

Despite Bolin's urging for her to get some rest and her promises from earlier in the day that she would not care about what happened to the man, she stayed up, pacing nervously, her heart slamming against her ribcage frantically and her breath hitched. It felt like days of agonizing waiting before she heard the familiar clunking of the door early that next morning.

Eyes widening, she leapt up and stood close to the door, and a few seconds later, an exhausted Mako stepped through it, huffing heavily. Korra peered closely at him, inspecting him for any injuries that she could repair – he wasn't limping, which was a good sign. However, his arms were covered in deep cuts, bruises, and burns and there was an expression of distress on his angular features and he was breathing noisily, as though the wind had been knocked out of him and he was trying to regain it.

"Mako," she murmured, and when he looked up she blinked at him. His left cheek was purple and there was a cut slashed into the flesh there, and his forehead was dabbled with scratches and burns of varying degrees. Though he was in better shape than usual when he came back from triad involvement, he was still in a state of considerable pain. Before he could speak, she launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, biting back the flood of tears in the corner of her eyes. She had gotten herself worked up as she waited for him, thinking of all the dire situations he could be in, only worsening her anxiety in the process, and now it was all coming back to her in the form of waterworks.

The Firebender stumbled back, nearly losing his balance when she made contact with him. He took immediate comfort in the warmth she radiated against him, but almost instantaneously afterwards, he was reminded of his multiple bruises when her frame pressed up against them and pushed her away quickly, groaning. She peered at him, but then realizing why he rejected her embrace, she placed her arms around him more delicately, mindful of his wounds. When she could no longer contain her emotions, a few stray tears bubbled over and fell onto his jacket, and she tried her best to keep in the sobs of relief that threatened to escape her throat.

Mako was surprised by her sudden crying, and feeling the immediate need to end it and calm her, he enveloped his sore arms around her and pressed his face into her hair. "Korra, it's okay... _I'm_ okay," he whispered, hoping that his reassuring words and soft tone were bringing her some form of comfort. She simply brought him closer to her, sniffling. There were times when Korra abhorred her feelings for Mako, for they usually got in the way of practicality and made her so vulnerable – now was one of those of the times. But the Avatar could not bring herself to be annoyed with her unstable emotions right then, her relief at seeming him mostly unharmed taking over.

When a significant amount of time passed of just holding each other, the pair separated reluctantly and Mako pulled Korra's hair out of her face and gave a warm smile that completely belied his current condition. "What are you still doing up? Are you going to make a habit of staying up late? Because, honestly, there's no need to."

"You're an idiot," she mumbled in response, ignoring his questions and flushing brightly, before gently taking his hand and leading him over to the sofa, fully intending on healing him. "Lay down," she commanded, and Mako sighed before doing as he was told, folding his gloved hands over his stomach and closing his eyes.

Kneeling down beside him, she Waterbent some water from the tap and a few seconds later, it was gliding over his open cuts and wounds, the skin connecting back together and the purple from his bruises fading to a sickly green. He shifted, uncomfortable and in pain, each time she approached an especially sensitive area, to which she would touch his face and murmur gently at him.

When his arms were healed to Korra's ability, she moved to his face, and with water surrounding her palm, she placed it on his cheek and rubbed her thumb into the ripped skin. She saw him cringe as she alleviated the pain, before leaning into her touch. "You have to stop doing this, Mako," she said suddenly, biting her lip and turning away. "Completely, not just every once in a while. One day... one day you might get killed if you don't." The thought of losing him made her stomach lurch violently and her heart twist.

Mako's eyebrows furrowed then, and he frowned. "Korra, I can't. You, out of all people, know that."

"Didn't you hear me?" she whispered harshly, "if you don't stop, you're just going to keep getting more and more hurt... and I can't watch you do that to yourself. I can't see you like _this_, all beaten and battered up. Neither can Bolin, Mako."

"It's not like I enjoy this," he huffed, sitting up a little. "And I don't do it often – besides, I got the money we need. It pays well."

"I _told _you, you idiot, I can always get a few new clients and we'll be fine!" She pressed her thumb hard into his cheek involuntarily and he winced, and she pulled her hand away as if stung by physical contact with him, sighing heavily and allowing the water to fall and soak into the sofa. The pair avoided eye contact with each other for a few seconds before Mako turned to her, mouth set in a hard line.

"Fine, I'll stop. On the condition that you'll stop selling yourself." It was a straightforward request, one he knew she wouldn't take. Korra turned to face him swiftly, blinking incredulously. Before she could speak, he placed his hands on his arms and squeezed them, shaking her a bit. "Please, Korra." His eyes were pleading with her. He had asked her multiple times beforehand to stop, but she always denied him, so why would that time be any different?

"Mako..." she evaded his burning amber eyes, "I-I won't. It's for your two's benefit..."

"Now you understand," he huffed, dropping his hands from her and drawing them to his chest, "why I won't, either."

"Mako!" she glared at him, eyes narrowed.

"No, Korra," he held his hand up so that she wouldn't interrupt him. "What I do is equally as dangerous as being a prostitute. So until you stop, neither will I."

The Avatar could feel a war of emotions running throughout her system, tugging at her heart and confusing her as to what she should have been feeling right then. Despite the fact that there were a million things she could say to him in response, she settled on a simple shaking of her head and, "You—"

"Idiot?" he smiled at her and with that simple gesture, her heart lightened and the situation became a little brighter. Grinning lopsidedly at him, she gathered some new water from the sink faucet and pooled in on his forehead.

"You just have a few burns left," she told him, leaning closely and moving her fingers slightly. Mako simply closed his eyes and allowed her to heal him, taking comfort in the feel of her hands on his skin. The blisters disappeared within a few minutes, and despite the fact that he had been healed for the most part, Korra did not back away from him, instead shifting even closer to him. The Firebender opened his eyes when he felt her weight shift from beside him, and what he was presented with were her bright, blue eyes staring at him, half-lidded and striking.

"Try not to get hurt next time then," she breathed, and he felt her exhalation tickle his cheek. He closed his eyes again and raised a hand, placing it on the back on her head and drawing it nearer to him.

"I promise on my honour," he whispered back, and in response, Korra pressed a kiss to the cheek that had been bruised before. The Firebender revelled in the warmth it brought to his face, and he turned away sheepishly.

"Now, it's your turn to sleep in your own bed tonight," she pulled away from him, immediately missing their close contact. Forcing herself to look beyond her feelings, she stood up and pointed a finger at his bedroom door. "You need some actual sleep in a real bed instead of letting me snooze in there like you have been usually."

"Actually," he smiled devilishly before grabbing her by the hips and pulling her back down, "I think I'll stay right here."

"Mako!" she cried out, surprised by the action. Blushing furiously, she stuttered out, "W-what are you doing?"

"I..." His cheeks began to redden as Korra's had, and his previous confidence faded, "...want to stay here... with you. If that's all right, of course."

Korra's flush intensified, and she blinked uncontrollably at him, her heart rampaging in her chest. "I-I... well, you did buy this couch, so... i-it's not really my call..."

"It's just... I'm not going to be falling asleep immediately, and some company would be nice," he murmured under his breath, pulling his hand through his hair. He smirked again then, "and besides, someone should be watching me – who's to say I'm not going to run off again?"

Korra simply rolled her eyes and swatted his arm lightly, before turning and retrieving a few blankets from a corner. "Here," she handed one to him, "I might not be up for long, but I won't drift that quickly, either." She walked over and flicked the light off then, and the room went black.

Seating herself on the far end on the sofa, she wrapped her blanket around her and pulled it tightly. A long, quiet while spanned between them. She tensed when she felt Mako's arm brush by her foot, and when she turned, she saw his eyes staring at her. She blinked at him, and a few charged, uninterrupted moments passed before she felt his fingers intertwine with hers and pull her close to him. She went ramrod straight as he pressed them together, despite wanting to curl into him and absorb his warmth.

Feeling her stiffness in his arms, he whispered, his hand travelling down the length of her back, "Relax, Korra." And as if that was all it took, Korra gave into her feelings and tiredness and unravelled, bringing her hands up to rest loosely on his arms and placing head on his chest, listening to the methodic rhythm of his heartbeat. Mako, in turn, raised his arms to wrap around Korra's smaller frame, and despite their earlier words about staying up, they easily drifted off together, wrapped in a blanket of shared warmth and comfort.

~P~

**Author's Notes: **THIS KILLED ME TO WRITE. UGH.

This is a seriously half-assed chapter but for the first half of it, I just wasn't feeling it, so sorry it's so short and weak. DX I wanted to get something out before I left for a few days, though, instead of leaving you all hanging for another week or so (I'll be gone for a bit)! Hopefully I can get more into the next chapter because I really do want to finish this story eventually and get somewhere with it.

But, then again, shameless Makorra fluff has never been a problem with anyone, it seems! XD


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